Lost Soul, Distant Goal
by LadyAlatarwen
Summary: Lost Soul, Distant Goal: A story of girl meets Elrics that doesn't have cheesy, rushed, andor flaky romance.
1. Part I

_Lost Soul, Distant Goal_

_A Fullmetal Alchemist Fan-Fiction_

_All characters of FMA © of their original owners_

**Part I**

"Yeah? And?" Retorted a disgruntled Edward Elric.

"Just keep an eye out while you're out and about," Colonel Mustang coolly replied. "He's becoming particular problem, they say, so I'm informing everyone to report any information he or she picks up."

"Pfft. I'm already a dog of the military, so now I gotta fetch the newspaper and all the latest gossip for you?"

It was another one of those argumentative meetings that Mustang held in his office with Edward each time he swung back into East HQ. Edward Elric sat on the sofa, his elbow residing on the armrest while he leaned his cheek upon his fist. He avoided the gaze of the clever Colonel who now sat untroubled in his chair. The young alchemist wore the typical expression that he frequently presented in the private presence of Mustang: annoyance.

"Come now, Fullmetal. Must you always make a point of compensating for your height with attitude?"  
Edward's eyes shifted towards Mustang to send a hot glare across the room. This was particularly annoying. Usually at least something _interesting_ occurred at these meetings. But in this case he had been summoned from what would have been a somewhat relaxed afternoon with his brother, just to be told that some lunatic was running around miles and miles away from Central.

Edward said nothing in reply, choosing to keep his eyes fixated on the wall.

"Fine then," Mustang said with an amused sigh. "I'll take that as a yes. It seems rather useless to converse with you with the mood you're in now."

More like _taunt_ me, thought Elric.

"Very well. I have no orders for you currently, so you may go and plot out your little goose chase for the Stone. You are dismissed."  
Feeling as though he was an animal being released from an obnoxious vice trap, Edward rose from his seat, retrieving his red coat from the table and pulled it on. Without a word, he stood upright as he turned to the Colonel for a farewell salute, and then proceeded out the office doors and down the hallway. What a waste of time, he thought as he made his way towards the exit down the hallway, his footsteps echoing into the distance.

* * *

Edward stepped into the outdoors and paused before proceeding down the stairs. His gaze drifted downwards to fall on Alphonse who was sitting on the stone steps, apparently holding very still so as not to disturb the little sparrow that had chosen to rest on his knee for a moment.

"Having fun there, Al?"

Edward's gigantic younger brother turned his iron head, immediately causing the bird to flutter off. "Brother! How did it go?"

"Nothing big," Edward said lazily as he descended to the step his brother rested upon, and sat there beside him. "Just a spontaneous and, not to mention meaningless, note to keep watch for some criminal who's fortnights away from here."

"How exciting," Alphonse replied with sarcasm.

"No kidding," said the displeased Alchemist, who now leaned back with his hands on the stone behind him for support and gazed up into the blue sky. In his fleeting moment of daze, he remembered to tell the more encouraging side of the story.

"Anyway, the good news is I don't have any assignments, so we can do whatever."

"In that case, let's just walk. We should probably buy some food to eat on the next trip we make."

"I'll go for that," said the elder brother, sounding a little more cheerful at the thought.

Thus the brothers, though curious in appearance, went on a casual stroll through the streets of the city.

* * *

"Alright. Eastern civilization, here I come," a young girl said quietly to herself as she saw the sign that dictated her destination. She was in her mid-teenange years judging by her appearance; her attire fell in line with her age. She wore a brown, halter, empress-cut shirt with denim pants, which were cut to fit nicely over her black boots. About her neck was tied a light-blue ribbon, coming into a bow on the back of her neck. The tails of the bow fell for at least 3 feet. Wrapped upon her head in a cruder fashion was a strip of blue raw silk, which covered her forehead and came around beneath her curtain of hair.

With her newfound morale of finding a new place of interest, her pace quickened as she proceeded down the path, its color not far from that of her dirty-blonde hair that flowed behind her. Who knew what sort of things she had to expect in this city in the eastern region of the country?

Gradually her pace slowed as she entered the city streets, allowing her to observe her surroundings. It was certainly an interesting sensation. Couples spoke softly to each other as they shopped, children ran and giggled and laughed. Smells filled the air. It was all so vibrant! In the flurry of activity, she continued her journey, becoming more and more observant of her surroundings.

Fionnuala (fi-NOO-la) was the girl's name; informally known as Nuala(NOO-la). Long and far she had walked to find what she sought. The Eastern region of Amestris, at the time, was her next set place to explore. And as she wandered the streets a thought struck her.  
I should find an inn to stay at, she thought. And I could do with some food. The very idea of food was accompanied by a growl of her stomach. Rolling her eyes, she pressed on, but along the way something distracted her mind. Next to a large fountain, a little girl, seeming to be hardly at the age of 7, was crying into her hands. By nature, Fionnuala were concerned and approached the child and kneeled to be eyelevel.

"Hey there, little one. What's wrong?"

It was a little difficult to interpret the girl's words through her sobs, sniffs, and coughs, but the main point got across.

"Daddy told me that I could get the necklace he had bought for Mom's birthday, and while I was running back with the necklace in my hand, I tripped, and the necklace landed on the rock edge of this fountain." She pointed to a shattered amber stone with a sliver chain that lay on the ground by her feet. "And now it's broken." She sobbed even more.

"Now, now," Nuala replied, with a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Everything'll be fine."  
"How?"

With a wink, she responded, "I'm an alchemist. I'll fix it up for you. But _remember_, you won't always have someone that will solve your problems. However, I'll do this just for you." Picking up a nearby stick, she drew a symbol in the dirt around the shards of the stone and its chain. A transmutation circle. And just a glow of yellow light and a few moments was all it took for the necklace to be as good as new.

"Here you go," Nuala said with a smile, holding up the pendant.

"Thank you so much! Mom will be so happy!"

"You're most welcome," she replied with a grin. "Now hurry, before your parents get worried."

"Okay!" And with a scurry the little one ran off, Nuala's smile following her.

* * *

Quite unexpectedly, a fairly young voice spoke from behind her. "Well, well. Not too shabby." Turning around, Nuala found herself in front of a rather large suit of armor, and next to it a considerably smaller boy with long blonde hair and gold eyes.

"My thanks for the compliment," she said, recognizing that it was the boy who spoke. "Can I help you?"

"There's no need," replied the boy. "I saw you draw the circle and got interested."

Suddenly, a disarmingly innocent voice issued from the armor. "Yes. Brother's curiosity is quite insatiable these days."

Fionnuala almost did a double take when she heard the armor speak. The voice did not at all match its embodiment. Surely someone so great in size could not have such a young voice? However, she quickly resumed the conversation as normal so as not to make them feel awkward.

"So, I'm assuming you two are alchemists? Perhaps doing work for the military?"

"Well, at least one of us is a State Alchemist," replied the smaller.

Suddenly, it hit her. Nuala had heard about two brothers, one of whom was an alchemist of the State, and both had seemingly incurable deformities. "Wait a minute..." she said, flicking her gaze between the two, and eventually fixing it on the armored one. "That must mean... that you're the Fullmetal Alchemist everyone talks about!" Immediately she snatched up the hand of the larger and began to shake it. "This is a meeting I'd never thought I would honored with!"

The armor giggled nervously. "Well, not exactly."

"For the love of... I'M THE FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT?"  
Stunned, Nuala take a step back, staring in blank confusion. The smaller boy was clearly annoyed; his arms crossed and his eyes staring angrily into the distance.

"Apparently I have made some terrible mistake..." she said thoughtfully, reconsidering the situation. "_Oh!_ I thought that whole gossip about the Fullmetal Alchemist being smaller than most was a huge ironic joke!"

The one greater in size bent his head down in embarrassment. Yet again, she had made another mistake. Though the answer to this one came quite quickly.

"WHO DID YOU SAY WAS A SUPER-ULTRA SHORT KID? You should at least have a little feeling towards people's height." The golden-haired boy was furious. His face turned more and more red with each shout. By now some of the people in the street were staring, curious for the reason of the commotion.

"Wow. I never met someone so sensitive. For all the talk of being 'Full Metal', you sure let people get under your skin easily." Amused with the irony she had unearthed, Fionnuala shouldered her pack and stared disapprovingly at the angry face that glared at her.  
"Um? Guys? I think we should move. People are starting to get wary."

The armored one had a point.

"I'd be more than happy to move," muttered the other brother. The three walked on towards the gate to Eastern HQ, where at least there was some peace and quiet. Though before a conversation could continue, Colonel Mustang's voice shot from the doors of the HQ.

"Fullmetal! Who do you have there?"

'Fullmetal,' as Nuala knew him for the moment, hesitated. "An alchemist that we came across in the street," he finally said audibly for the Colonel to hear from the doors of the HQ.

What a baby, Nuala thought, seeing that he obviously didn't want her involved in any further activity. But the next thing said surprised her the most.

"Why don't you bring her in? We'll have a chat." All stared at the Colonel. He was interested in having a conversation with _Nuala? A stranger?_

Fullmetal broke the silence. "Very well, Colonel."

"Good. Come on in." Mustang reentered the building just as the gate before the threesome opened.

"Don't get your hopes up," said Full Metal.

"Huh?"

"You heard me. Colonel Mustang has a hobby of finding opportunities to poke fun at me. He's not gonna let you in on special position, or anything of the sort. He'll just take advantage of the situation to have a bit of fun." He sighed with exasperation.

"Alright," Nuala replied with a confused tone. The people here were some bunch of characters. Her attention turned to the gate, and once it had opened far enough, she, Fullmetal, and the metal-clad brother all entered the building. What did the Colonel hold in store for her?


	2. Part II WHAT?

Chapter 2  
"WHAT!"

* * *

The hallway was silent except for Nuala's footsteps and those of Fullmetal, and the clanking of the monstrous armored one. Come to think of it, why did that guy wear a suit of armor? He hadn't bothered to pull off his helmet at any point. What did his face look like? And to add to this peculiarity, his voice could not be more unlike the size of his body. She knew that Fullmetal was supposed to be the elder brother from gossip, but why was his younger brother so much _bigger_ than him? 

She didn't have much more time to think about it, because before she knew it, she was brought into a large office, with a table and two sofas as a seating area. Fullmetal knew the room all too well, for it was where he gave his reports to the Colonel.

The Colonel was already there. With his jet-black hair seemed very composed; Nuala guessed he probably had a very clever and intelligent mind behind the sharp eyes.

"Welcome, welcome," said the Colonel, and then gestured to the sofas in his office. Make yourselves comfortable. Still finding this all very absurd, Nuala followed his directions and took a seat. What was _going on?_ This was all so spur-of-the-moment, that she felt her head in a flurry of questions. Though, her thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in, Hawkeye," said the Colonel without even looking at the door as he took his own seat at a sofa. In came a woman with fair hair and similar face, and she immediately saluted the Colonel, though when she began to take note of just how many people were in the room, she seemed surprised.

"Who do we have here, Colonel?"

"Oh, just a squirt, his metallic brother, and a new friend. Come and have a seat. Let's get introductions over with."

Hawkeye scanned the faces of those in the room before finally taking a seat beside Mustang.

"So," began the Colonel, turning his gaze towards Nuala. "Do you have a name?"

"Oh! Uh, well," The thought of her name had slipped her mind due to the swirling chaos of her head. "Riddleson. Miss Riddleson."

"Very well then, Miss Riddleson. I assume you've already learned the names these two," he replied, clearly implying that it was the brothers that he spoke of.

"Actually, I have not been introduced."

"Well, well, Fullmetal. Where are your manners?" Fullmetal ignored the Colonel's comments.

"Pardon his behavior. His name is Edward, Edward Elric. And his brother here is Alphonse Elric."

"I'm glad to finally know your name, Miss Riddleson," said Alphonse. Nuala smiled warmly and nodded in reply, hoping that there was also a smile behind that iron helm. Edward's brother seemed to be his total opposite, the concept of yin and yang personified. And it couldn't be more obvious as Edward made no comment nor added anything to the conversation. He was still annoyed with the Colonel and there were probably some foul thoughts that included Nuala spinning in his head.

"And I am Colonel Roy Mustang, continued the Colonel. This woman here is Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye."

"A pleasure to meet you," said the Lieutenant politely.

"Likewise," Nuala replied. Well, so far things were not so bad. Despite the fact that Edward was cocking an attitude, the people here seemed quite pleasant.

"What brings you here to the East City, Miss Riddleson?" asked the Colonel, now continuing the conversation after all the introductions.

She replied with a wide grin on her face, "To find a cutie like you, of course."

Edward raised an eyebrow, while Hawkeye and Alphonse stared awkwardly. Though, the most priceless expression was that of the Colonel, who for once was actually surprised. Nuala could only laugh. "Just joking. It's nothing in particular, really. I travel a lot, and I hadn't journeyed to this part of the country yet.

"So young and already on your own? Surely you have more reason than 'just traveling'.

"No other reason really," Nuala replied shyly, half-lying.

"Are you looking for something?"

"I suppose you could say that. Due to lack of resources, I can't journey to the places I would have liked to search in."

"So you are looking for someone to provide you with the means for your journey."

_Why was the Colonel asking all this?_ By now, he was being more than a little nosy. However, Fionnuala chose to be polite in the presence of the Elric brothers and Hawkeye.

"I would never expect anyone to give me anything without asking for something in return. I have nothing to give, thus going against the principle of Equivalent Exchange. I try to follow that rule to keep myself in line. Works well, really."

"Well, in that case, I think I know how we can help you out. I don't often lend some slack to traveling strangers, but I have a proposition for you."

Nuala's eyes shifted uneasily from face to face in the room. By now, Edward had at least looked at the Colonel, for this was unusual behavior for even him.

"These brothers are on a journey of their own. Perhaps if you accompanied them for a while, you could help them in their searches. In return, you are given resources to look into your own interests. It sounds like a fair trade to me."

_"Me? Travel with the Elric brothers?"_ The idea seemed far too bizarre.

"WHAT!" Edward blurted out, suddenly partaking in the conversation. "Colonel Mustang, I-"

"Come now, Fullmetal." Mustang managed to silence the interruption. "Be more polite. So Miss Riddleson, I think you will find the Elric brothers very composed and responsible people."

It was at that exact moment that Alphonse's weight suddenly overcame the chair he had sat on (being that he had not sat on the sofa), and the seat shattered. Poor Al found himself sharing the ground with quite a few broken remains of wood.

"Herm... Right," Nuala said, trying to suppress her laughter.

Despite the crash, Edward continued to glare. This turn of events was even more upsetting than he thought imaginable.

"That settles it," said Mustang with a grin. "Miss Riddleson, you are given right to travel with a State Alchemist and help him with his duties, while we fund your own search. Are you willing?"

It was an offer that was hard to pass up. Despite the fact that she and Edward were not on the best of terms, Fionnuala really needed some way to pay for your trips. And who better than the military? It seemed to be her best option. Much better than the usual way, which frequently included her running out of food and sleeping in the street.

"I accept."

"Colonel, I _really_ don't want this girl coming with me..." Edward pressed. The Colonel raised his hand to silence him once again. There was no alternative now. His mind was made up.

"Fullmetal, when do you next plan to leave on the train?"

Taken aback for a short moment, Edward was uncertain of what to say. "Tomorrow morning."

"Very well. Tomorrow morning, you will also take Miss Riddleson with you. Do you have a place to stay, miss?"

"No, I hadn't made any reservations."

"Good. You can use a dorm on the second floor."

Suddenly the phone on Mustang's desk began to ring. His eyes darted to the source of the noise. Sighing quietly, he quickly gave his final words as he walked over to the phone. "I ought to take this. You are all given leave for the afternoon."

All four of those sitting on the sofas, and Al on the floor, rose, paid their respects to the Colonel, and left the room.

* * *

The reactions to Colonel Mustangs strange decision were generally alike. All were rather puzzled, except, of course, Edward, who could just barely control his anger. This day seemed to be turning out to be one of his worst. 

Alphonse started on his way back into the office. "I'm going to fix the chair," he said, with a bit of embarrassment. Though he was prevented by his brother, who took him by the arm and began dragging him down the hall.

"But Brother, shouldn't I-"

"No. Let's go." Alphonse couldn't seem to find any words, and submitted to his brother's will. Edward's temper was rising to an explosive level. It was probably safest for everyone if the two went outside.

Once the brothers had left, you found yourself muttering, "How obnoxious." Then Nuala remembered that she ought to find her room. So she said, looking to Hawkeye. "Where I can find this second-floor dorm?"

She smiled in reply, "Right this way. Follow me." The Lieutenant led Fionnuala down a hall, up a flight of stairs, and down yet another hallway. Stopping a short distance down, she opened a door. "In here." The curious young girl stepped in to find humble, though to her quite reasonable, lodgings. A small room in which there was a bunk bed, a desk accompanied by a chair, and a solitary window.

"Thank you," she said, with a smile and a bow to Hawkeye. Nuala then proceeded to leave her possessions, which only consisted of a leather backpack, on her bed.

"I'll be in the Mess Hall if you need anything." Hawkeye said before closing the door behind her. Nuala sat down on the bed. The only sound filling her head was that of the Lieutenant's footsteps, but then she found herself in a very empty space. A few minutes passed by.

"Yeah... this is boring." Nuala got up, thinking that perhaps you could get at least a small meal in the mess hall. Leaving her stuff in your room, she made her way downstairs, wandering about in hopes of finding the Mess Hall. Conveniently, it wasn't that difficult to find. Of course, the giant signs stating quite clearly "Mess Hall" were helpful, too. Taking a peek inside, she saw that the only two currently in the room were Hawkeye, and a black-haired man sitting beside her. Hawkeye seemed annoyed with him, at least for what her stern expression allowed. Fionnuala pushed the door in, and began to walk, but before she could get far, she felt her feet pulled out from underneath her, and then a hard landing on the floor with an aching back.

"Yowch. What the heck happened?" As she looked up, she saw a very adorable puppy, with one of her boot laces in its mouth.

"Miss Riddleson! I'm so sorry!" Nuala could hear Hawkeye crying her apologies as she ran over. The man she had been sitting with stood up, too, but Hawkeye gestured that she didn't need his help.

"No really, it's okay. I like dogs." Nuala's gaze fell upon the innocent, looking puppy, its tail wagging oh-so-adorably. "I used to have one myself." The memories of her dog in the past seemed warm and comforting. However, Hawkeye's hand entered her vision, breaking Nuala's thoughts. Taking the offer, she pulled herself up.

"So, did you come down for a meal?"

"Well, that and I haven't much else to do."

"Just a moment, then." Hawkeye picked up the dog and approached the doors Nuala had just previously entered through. As she neared it, an officer walked by outside. "Sir!" Hawkeye increased her pace to catch up. The officer stopped, looking curiously at her with the dog in her arms. "Could you take this dog outside for me? He got in somehow."

"Certainly," said the officer kindly. He took the dog from Hawkeye and saluted her before departing. Hawkeye responded with the same, and then returned to Fionnuala.

"Let's get you some food, now," continued Hawkeye politely, leading you over to the food counter. Fionnuala took a tray and began to help herself. Usually, she didn't eat much, but since she hadn't eaten in a long while, her appetite had doubled at the very least. After Nuala had made herself a decent meal, she followed Hawkeye over to the table where she had been sitting before. The man there had remained quiet for the moment, probably waiting for Hawkeye. "Miss Riddleson, this is Major Hughes. Hughes, this is Miss Riddleson. Just today she was granted right to travel with the Elric brothers."

"Pleased to meet you," said Hughes, holding out his hand across the table. Fionnuala put out her own to shake it. "I wish you luck. Edward Elric can be rather sensitive and foul-tempered for all his swagger." Nuala certainly agreed. Though she hadn't seen him do much swaggering, she figured that he was the type to do it. Quite spontaneously, Hughes continued on. "To distract you from that, why don't I show you a picture of my 2-year-old daughter?"

Before she could say anything, Hawkeye interjected, "Not now, Hughes." The Major was already pulling out photographs. While Nuala ate, he began to add his own captions to each picture as he went along. Hawkeye had given up on stopping him, and simply sat there and listened. Fionnuala, on the other hand, would nod her head in agreement every so often, or smile at a particularly cute picture of Elicia Hughes.

"But brother! My conscience is going to haunt me for the rest of the day if I just leave that chair shattered."

"They can fix it on their own." Edward was still in a horrible mood. Despite the fact that he was much smaller than Alphonse, he could manage to lug him out of the military headquarters by the arm. By the time they had come to the outside of the gate, Al gave a hard yank and pulled free. Edward sighed and glared into the distance. His shoulders were slouched which only exaggerated his frame of mind.  
Come on. Let's go eat."

"But shouldn't we just get some food from the Mess Hall?"

"Of course not."

"Why?"

"Because the brat is most likely in there. She's the last person I want to eat with." He began to walk down the street. Al decided to simply follow. It was pointless to argue for the time being. Not much time had passed before they found a caf. Edward sat down without a word, and put in an order for a sandwich, soup, and some water. Al took a seat beside him, and waited until the waitress left. For a while there was an awkward silence. Edward leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, staring at the ground. Al, on the other hand, hunched forward, his hands in his lap.

"Brother?"

"Yeah?"

"You really shouldn't be so hard on Miss Riddleson."

"And why not?" shot back the elder brother.

"Well...She doesn't exactly seem like a bad person. She seems to be a nice one, really. I think it'll be nice to have someone new around."

"To _you_ anyway. She hasn't said a single word of kindness to me. She's just-"

Alphonse interjected. "I wouldn't say that." Edward's eyes finally moved from the ground to meet the glow inside Al's helmet. "Imagine if she hadn't made the mistake of thinking I was the Fullmetal Alchemist. Did you hear what she said? Something along the lines of being honored to meet me. Just think if she had said that to _you_. Would you be so angry with her then?"

Edward was silent for a moment. Al's argument was valid, though he was not going to admit that. After some thought, he gave his response. "She should have asked us before taking up on Mustang's offer." Just then the waitress gave Ed his food.

"Will that be all?"

"Mcyessh, shthankch." Faster than lightning, Ed was already wolfing down the food.

"For the time being, yes, he means," translated Alphonse. She smiled and left, allowing Al to reply to his brother, "That's true. But I think she already knew that you would immediately deny her the chance. I think she has a real reason to come with us."

"You mean that whole crap about how she's searching for something? Sounds fishy to me." Said Edward as he munched. "And I find it suspicious that she didn't give her first name. I think she's hiding something. I don't know why Mustang trusts her so much."

Alphonse sighed and gave up once more. Fionnuala had been kind to him, and he thought Ed should at least consider that. But for now, it really was hopeless to talk to him.

* * *

Back in the Mess Hall, a couple hours later... 

"Hughes? Don't you have something to report to the Colonel?" Hawkeye was by now flat out sick of the obsessed Major. Even Nuala had gotten tired of it all, and it was just the first time he had shown her the pictures of his daughter. Elicia was indeed cute, but she were tired from the day.

"Umm... Yeah. I suppose I should get to that. Hehe. He's probably off the phone by now." Hughes, knowing that if he said any more Hawkeye's gun would be firing, gathered up his photos and left the hall, leaving Nuala and Hawkeye in peace and quiet. She ate the last bites of her dinner in total silence. But Hawkeye broke it with a troubled voice.

"I apologize for the Colonel's rash actions. He isn't usually this strange."

"Huh?"

"I myself don't understand why he would push you into the Elrics' affairs." Hawkeye rested her elbows on the table and folded her hands beneath her chin while she stared at the table surface between the two of them. "They aren't exactly ordinary, and danger often follows them. You can blame their fame and Edward's loud mouth for that."

Fionnuala paused, briefly thinking things over. "Don't worry about it."

"Are you certain of that?" she asked cautiously, her eyes looking up at Nuala's.

"Yeah. Though I do not know exactly what sort of danger follows them, I'll be able to take care of myself. I'm an alchemist as well, and though I may not be as special as some child prodigy, I can defend myself against the hardships of traveling in dangerous territory. Years of traveling have taught me how." She smiled assuredly.

Hawkeye looked surprise for a moment, and then a kind smile spread across her face in reply to Fionnuala's. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen. Why?"

"You're very mature for your age. I hope you do well and find whatever it is you're looking for."

It felt good to hear those words. "Thanks. That's always an encouragement. Now, I think I'll get to bed. I probably have a very long day tomorrow." You got up to put the tray and plate in their proper places.

"I'll wake you up in the morning," said Hawkeye, standing up as well. "Good night." She made her way towards the hallway.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye!" Nuala called suddenly, just as she was about to exit through the double doors.

"Yes?" She said, turning in surprise.

"Thanks... For worrying about me." Nuala felt like she owed the Lieutenant quite a bit for watching her for the afternoon.

Hawkeye smiled. "You're most welcome." And then she disappeared into the hallway.

Some minutes later Fionnuala was at the desk that sat near the door, writing on a fresh new page in a leather-bound book.

_My dear Keeper,_

_It's been a few days now since my last entry. However I simply must record my thoughts, while they are still fresh. You see, Keeper, today marks the beginning of-_

She paused, the pen suddenly freezing in its repetitive motion. What exactly _was_ beginning as of that day? An adventure? A devious detour? A huge mistake? Suddenly anything seemed possible. Perhaps answers to questions known and unknown waited behind the curtain of the future.

_A new chapter in my life story. That's the most I can assume, Keeper. Why, might you ask? It never would have crossed my mind as I had strode into the streets of East City that I would begin traveling with the Elric brothers, the Fullmetal Alchemist being one of them, the next morning. Edward, the elder of the brothers, is the one who holds the title, while the younger is Alphonse._

_This unusual turn of events occurred during my first few minutes in East City. The brothers approached me after watching me perform a transmutation. The ensuing conversation was not exactly what one would call pleasant. I find that the brothers are yin and yang personified. Edward has proven to be a thin-skinned and hot-tempered git while Alphonse seems to be much more sensible. To a certain extent, though. He's significantly larger than his elder brother, in height and in body weight, and he wears a suit of armor. Perhaps tomorrow I'll have the opportunity to see his face._

_The Colonel Mustang saw us talk, and invited the three of us into the headquarters, something I found rather strange. To make the rest of the tale short, he interrogated me for a brief time, and then struck a deal with me. If I help Edward in his duties as a state alchemist, I will receive financial support for my journey. I simply couldn't refuse. Things finally may start looking up because of this._

_Besides the Elrics and Mustang, I came to meet the peculiar Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, who has a strange obsession with the photographs of his young daughter, and the composed, as well as friendly, Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. From what I can tell, she's the only one around with her head screwed on straight. I hope I get to see her more often._

_Well, Keeper, I've had my fill of writing for today. Let us hope that the times are fortunate, despite the fact that they rarely are. No doubt tomorrow will be in no way lacking of interest._

_With all sincerity,  
Fionnuala_

With that, she blew the ink dry, closed the book, and tightened the string which kept it from opening. Setting the book in her bag, she lazily walked over to the bed, and threw herself on. As tired as she was, and as comfortable as that bed seemed, it was difficult to fall asleep with the anticipation that had begun to stir in her stomach.

* * *

"Alright, Hughes, that's good for today." Colonel Mustang straightened a pile of papers on his desk and filed them away. 

"Yes, sir," Hughes responded casually with a satisfied smile on his face.

There was a knock at the door. Both men looked towards it in curiosity.

"Who is it?" Mustang asked.

"Hawkeye, sir," responded the Lieutenant from behind the door.

"Come on in, Hawkeye." Mustang returned to reorganizing the papers on his desk into piles. Hawkeye pushed open the door and came forward to salute both Hughes and Mustang.

"Well, I'll get out of your way. I've got an early train, tomorrow, anyways. With a farewell from both officers, he took his leave, leaving only the Lieutenant and the Colonel.

"So, Hawkeye," began Mustang, talking while setting his desk in his idea of order. "What can I do for you?"

Hawkeye had thought about how she would articulate this on the way here. What she _really_ wanted to do is ask why he was being such a reckless dimwit. But no, she would save the pleasure of asking that question for someone in the higher-ups. Choosing her words carefully, she started. "It's about the girl, Miss Riddleson."

"Oh? How is she? I imagine that you've gotten to know her in the past few hours."

"Only a little, sir. Hughes prevented almost all conversation in the Mess Hall."

Mustang smiled as he dropped his pens one by one into their holder.

"But Colonel, might I ask _why_ you're having her travel with the Elrics?"

"Why do you ask? Do you think she isn't trustworthy?"

Well, that was her thought at the beginning of the afternoon. Her brief conversation with you and instilled a somewhat stronger trust.

"She seems to be a good person, but that's not what is bothering me so much."

"Well then, what is?" replied Mustang offhandedly as he continued to push things around. He had barely bothered to look at her while she spoke.

"At the moment, it's how distracting this ridiculous act you call organizing is while I'm talking to you."

Mustang froze in the action of filing away a paper, and his eyes shifted to meet the Lieutenant's. "Very well, Hawkeye. It was true, even after all the ruckus, his desk still wasn't _really_ organized. It just had several very large piles of papers, all of which should have been put in drawers a while ago. Mustang sat back in his chair and folded his hands. "Continue."

"Well, sir, for one thing, it isn't truly advisable by military policy to pull strangers out of the street and give them jobs with high ranking officers. Secondly, the Elrics arent exactly the _safest_ people to be around. You, of all people, should know that. More than once, they've dealt with murderers, criminals, and most anything else. Sending a young girl without much experience in those sorts of situations could result in bad news for the Elrics, Miss Riddleson, and _you_. If the Generals in Central find out that a girl that is not even in the military personnel is killed because you put her there, it could result in serious punishment, demotion, and even expulsion. Surely you know all this?"

Mustang breathed deeply and looked down at his desk. "I do."

"Then why, sir?"

"I have my reasons."

The Lieutenant's eyes narrowed. She hated it when Mustang withheld information from her like this. Though it wasn't her business professionally, but she feared how this could all end. "May I be informed of any of them?" She finally said, in as calm a voice as she could.

"For now, I'd just like to see how this will unfold. If things start to look bad, I'll pull Riddleson out and have her placed somewhere out of harm's way.

You're planning something that will work to your advantage, thought Hawkeye warily. "Can you promise me that?"

Mustang looked up and smiled. "I will do what is in my best judgment, Hawkeye."

Despite the fact that that probably wasn't the most assuring of answers, Hawkeye relaxed a little. "That is good to hear, sir."

"Get some rest, Hawkeye. I think we'd both like to see our new trio off in a somewhat conscious condition."

"Yes, sir."

"And lay off on the sirs, for once." Mustang added amusedly.

Hawkeye smiled a little. "Good night, Mustang." After a short salute, she turned on her heel and exited through the double doors.

Once the door had closed, Mustang sighed. "Good night, Riza."


	3. Part III Two Weeks

LSDG

Part the Third

Two Weeks

_If someone does not appreciate you for who you are, it's a waste of time to try proving otherwise._

Tap. Tap. Tap. The sound took a moment to register in Fionnuala's befuddled mind. Sleep was like a heavy blanket over her head.

"Riddleson. Miss Riddleson, are you awake?" Came a familiar voice.

Fionnuala's ocean blue eyes opened a little. "Uh-whuh...?" Her vision cleared as the reality of the circumstances settled in her mind. East City Head Quarters, Elric brothers, Trip... In the morning... "Oh!" Her eyes flew open, and she sat up. "I'm awake! Who is it?"

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, from yesterday afternoon. May I come in?"

"Sure," Fionnuala replied as she hastily rubbed her eyes.

As Hawkeye entered Fionnuala put her feet on the floor. Hawkeye, with her stern yet kind expression, promptly closed the door behind her. She was already dressed in her officer's uniform, despite that it was still very early. By Nuala's judgment, the sun had risen less than an hour ago. "Did you rest well?" Asked the Lieutenant politely.

"Pretty well, thanks. You?"

Hawkeye smiled a little. "Yes, I did, thank you."

"So... can I do anything for you?" Fionnuala asked, curious as to why Hawkeye had come in at this hour.

"Well, I caught Edward before I retired to my quarters, and he said his train was leaving at 9:30 this morning. I thought I'd come in early to help you get ready." Nuala nodded and realized just how considerate the Lieutenant was being. She was willing to look after her for the entire duration that she was here. It was a pleasant feeling to have someone watch over her. "Why don't you go and wash your hair? Head further down the hall, and it's the last room on your left."

"Oh," Fionnuala replied with surprised eyes. It wasn't often she got to wash in a decent bathroom. "Alright. I-I'll go and do that."

"Once you're done, bring your things down to the Mess Hall. We'll have ourselves some breakfast."

"Sounds lovely," Nuala said, standing up and smiling. "I'll see you at breakfast."

A couple hours later she found herself having a delicious breakfast. In truth, it was pretty standard, but this was a true treat to her. Hawkeye ate opposite the table, and eventually even the Colonel came in for a meal. The three of them ate, exchanging pleasant small talk. However, towards the end of the meal, the Lieutenant grew a little more solemn. "I ought to give you some fair warning," she began. It sounded like it would be something awful, and Fionnuala did well to pay close attention. "As you travel with the Elrics, you will become more familiar with their peculiarities. When I say that, I mean physical peculiarities."

"They may cause you a bit of a fright," Colonel Mustang added.

How curious, Nuala thought. "What sort of peculiarities would frighten me? They look pretty normal." She stopped herself. "Well, Alphonse is admittedly a little unusual. But what's wrong with Edward?"

The officers' eyes met for a brief moment, silently communicating how they would go about the situation. Fionnuala could tell there was some sort of connection between Hawkeye and Mustang. They just seemed to work with one another, in easy cooperation. That cooperation was at work now.

Hawkeye looked back at the curious girl. "I think it's best we leave the explaining to Major Elric and his brother. I just don't want you to think we blindsided you with them. When the time comes, they'll tell you."

The Colonel assuaged a little of your impatience. "They can't go for too long without doing so, that's for sure."

"For now, I think their personalities are enough to deal with." Hawkeye smiled a little in assurance.

Nuala smiled in reply. "I think I'm up for that one."

Mustang's expression also turned more pleasant as he stood up. "Good. Anyone could do with a little preparation before spending time with the Elrics." She snickered. It seemed like this was going to be an adventure one way or another. "Now, let's all head to the main hall. I would like to get there before Edward tries to escape, which he will attempt, no doubt."

Fionnuala and Hawkeye rose as well, and as they made their way to the double doors of the Mess Hall, she added sarcastically, "He must think I'm walking poison at this rate."

Whether he did or didn't, Fionnuala never found out, but she got that sort of vibe when the three of them caught Edward heading down a hall that led towards the back of the building. "Edward," said Mustang amusedly. "I think you'd know by now that the entrance is _that _way." He pointed to the hall that they had intended to take. Ed glared and only muttered something inaudible. Finally he walked in front of the Fionnuala and the other officers until they reached the lobby. There by the doors stood Alphonse, who was soon joined at the side by Edward.

"Alrighty, then." Said Mustang. "Since we have a bit of time, we'll go see you three off at the train station. Hawkeye, you take Miss Riddleson. I'll take these two with me." Edward's response was a silent shift of his eyes to end in a rebellious glare aimed at Mustang. Fionnuala would be amused to know what was going to happen in that car, or if it would make it to the train station at all. "Come on. Let's go."

Fionnuala added a parting comment with a small smile as the three males left. "See you all there." Though it might have seemed that the farewell was meant for only Mustang, Nuala also intended it for the Elrics. She had a lingering feeling that they weren't interested in hearing it. Alphonse, maybe. Definitely not Ed.

Hawkeye led Fionnuala outside and to her car, an old-fashioned black vehicle. The ride to the station was brief, but not without conversation. As the car rolled down the streets, Hawkeye pointed out points of interest in the city, as well as adding short stories of her own experiences that came with the history of those locations. And then for a couple minutes there was quite, but Nuala couldn't help herself but to ask Hawkeye another question. "Erm... Lieutenant Hawkeye?"

"You can call me Riza. What's bothering you?"

"I've been thinking about yesterday. Am I the only one who finds it strange that I'm a minor, have no past experience, and a total stranger, and now I'm set to working with a state alchemist?"

Hawkeye seemed vaguely amused as she turned the corner. "The answer is no. I myself don't understand all of it; however, Mustang apparently did it with some reasoning." She paused to think. "In fact, now that I think about it, it's probably a good thing that you and the Elrics are leaving so promptly."

"What do you mean?"

"It means that Mustang can take time to let the situation ease its way in. If you three hung around for a while, our superiors, not to mention our peers, would be pressing Mustang for answers." Hawkeye noted the worry in Fionnuala's face. "But don't worry too much. We'll take care of it. Truth be told, the others at East Headquarters are good people. When you get back from your trip, I'll introduce you."

"You will?"

"Sure. I bet they'd be delighted." Her attention moved to her window, where the station came into view. "Here we are." Hawkeye parked the car and the two approached the train station. Mustang and the brothers were already there and waiting. Upon arrival, Mustang handed Fionnuala a small piece of thick paper.

"Here's your ticket." Nuala thanked him and turned to see the brothers sitting on a bench. Mustang followed your gaze to Edward and Alphonse, and watched also. Nuala began to wonder, just how long was she going to be with these guys? Was there any chance of it lasting long? By Edward's attitude, it seemed unlikely. That only meant breaking the deal with Mustang, and then she wouldn't get any financial support. This led Fionnuala to a final conclusion: make friends with the Elrics, or go hungry. Some choice, thought Nuala. Besides, no one could be angry _all _the time. Edward must have a good side. Alphonse she wasn't so worried about. As far as she could tell, they were already on pretty good terms. Perhaps the best way to go about it was to prove that she was useful. And the most efficient way to go about _that_, would be to take them by surprise with what talents she had.

Just as Fionnuala's train of thought ended, Mustang called to the brothers. "Alphonse! Edward! I'd like to say a few words to you two." Both rose in their own fashions, Alphonse moving more quickly, and a little nervously, while Edward was laid back and lackadaisical. His anger seemed to have calmed to indifference, but as they approached, Nuala could still see a hint of annoyance in his complexion. "Alright, now this is for all of you." The teens looked up to meet Mustang's black eyes. "Here's the deal. The three of you will travel for two weeks, and on the fourteenth day, you'll come back here for a report. Then we will decide how Miss Riddleson's agreement will continue. The final judgment shall depend on how well you three work as a group, and if it benefits the military in some small way."

Two weeks, Fionnuala thought. Two weeks. That's how much time I have to get out of Ed's red zone. Some luck I'll need.

Edward sighed. "Whatever. Just as long as I get something done in the next 14 days, I'm happy." Fionnuala felt her stomach sink. It'll take more luck than any charm could offer to turn this one over.

"At least make an effort to get along," Mustang replied. The call to board came. He glanced up, seeing other travelers beginning to step onto the train. Quickly, he returned his attention to those who were leaving. "And come back on time and in one piece, each of you."

"We'll certainly try," said Fionnuala, trying out a smile to cheer up the mood. Both Mustang and Hawkeye smiled. Suddenly, Fionnuala felt strange, having those two knowledgeable, mature adults smiling down at her. It brought a familiar feeling. However, she didn't have much time to think about it.

Already, Edward had saluted the Colonel, picked up his suitcase and had started for the train. "C'mon. Let's go." Alphonse quickly followed.

Fionnuala shouldered her pack and trotted after them, not wanting to fall behind. But she stopped herself before she stepped into the doorway of the car. Quickly she turned, half-expecting to see the officers leaving the station. Instead, she saw them still standing there, watching her go. Her face turned into a bright smile. "See ya!" She waved enthusiastically, and then boarded the train. New beginnings were so refreshing.


	4. Part IV Getting Reacquainted

LSDG

Part the Fourth

Getting Reacquainted

Mustang casually waved a gloved hand to Fionnuala in response to her final, cheerful farewell. As the teenager disappeared into the car of the train, his deep black gaze shifted to see Hawkeye, whose eyes seemed soft, a rare occasion for the stern woman. He smiled and chuckled oh-so-quietly as he went back to watching people board the train. The Lieutenant seemed to have noticed, for then it was her eyes that moved; they fixed themselves with veiled curiosity upon Mustang.

"What are you so amused with?"

Mustang's soft smile turned to a smirk. "You like her, don't you?"

Hawkeye made little reaction to the question. "What makes you think of that?"

"Oh, I can just tell." The Colonel slid his hands into his pockets and closed his eyes. As he turned on his heel and began to walk away, he added. "You usually don't take to strangers that quickly, Hawkeye."

Hawkeye followed, only saying calmly, "She's a pleasant girl, I admit."

It had been a while since Fionnuala had traveled by train, but it didn't take her long to remember the narrow, crammed hallways when boarding. Thankfully, her traveling partners were pretty easy to pick out. Edward's bright red coat contrasted against the more neutral colors of others' attire, but even more conveniently, Alphonse practically dwarfed all of those standing nearby. Nuala tried her best to catch up, weaving her way between people. "'Scuse me! Sorry, sir. Hate to bother you." All this for a couple extra seconds to say farewell to Hawkeye, no _Riza_, and Colonel Mustang. But it was worth it. She felt a strange satisfaction that she could not explain in giving a proper goodbye.

_Ouch! _She managed to kick her own foot when trying to get through a particularly narrow spot. "Sir, I'm so sorry."

She kept moving.

Alphonse, who was behind Edward, stopped and looked back, to see Fionnuala in her difficulty. "Miss Riddleson! I thought you were closer behind. Sorry about that."

Finally, the hallway was clearing out; most had gone on into other cars or had found their compartments. Nuala was up against the wall, for that was where she was forced to be by the crowd. "S'alright," Nuala replied with a brief smile. Relieved that the struggle was over, she walked towards the towering Elric brother. _Bam!_ In her lack of attention, she had bumped her head straight into a shelf that jutted out from the wall. So much that she went straight backwards, landing on her rear end. Alphonse was shocked.

"A-are you alright?" He ran forward.

Fionnuala was ashamed. She wasn't usually _this _spacey. Except the occasional trip over nothing, or totally forgetting something she had been told, perhaps. "Yeah," she replied, rubbing her ribbon-covered forehead, "I'm fine." She put her feet back under her to make an attempt to stand. Alphonse he held out an iron hand.

"You sure?"

Nuala looked up, surprised, and then smiled. "Yeah." Taking his hand, she stood up. "Thanks a bunch."

"Not a problem." Good thing Ed didn't see me, thought Nuala. But it was just then that she saw Edward standing outside of their compartment. He rolled his eyes and stepped back inside. Shoot. "Is something the matter?" Alphonse inquired with concern.

"Nah. I'm good."

"Alright. Let's get to our seats." Fionnuala could feel the train beginning to move. Suddenly she wondered whether the Colonel and Riza were still outside or not. Shed rushed past Al and Edward and to the window, only to find that the station had faded into the distance. Oh well, she thought. At least I got the chance to say good-bye. She turned to see Edward, laid back in his seat.

He noticed her stare, returning it with hostile eyes. "What're you looking at?" He shot suspiciously.

Fionnuala came out of her temporary daze. "Nothing." Just then, Alphonse came in and shut the door, and then he turned to look at the girl.

"Hey, is that all you brought?" He asked, looking toward her simple leather sack.

"Erm... Yeah. I don't have much." She replied as she took a seat. "I have to be pretty mobile since I'm on the go all the time."

"I see."

"That, and I don't really need much. Hey, by the way. How did we get this compartment instead of the open seats and tables in the other cars?"

It almost came as a surprise to Nuala to hear Edward speak. "Mustang insisted that we buy tickets for nicer accommodations. Can't really understand why." Alphonse knew he was half-lying. When buying the tickets, Mustang had nudged Ed in the side and had said that he ought to be more of a gentleman now that he's got a lady traveling with him, and that only a compartment would do. Had Alphonse not restrained him, Edward might have attempted to nail Colonel Mustang to the nearest surface.

In any case, Fionnuala was a bit confused about it all, but instead she tried to relax. Impressing Edward would be tricky if he wasn't interested in talking. Alphonse distracted her temporarily from her fix. "You guys want anything to eat?"

"If it's not too much trouble. What do they have?"

"Usually fruit and such."

"I'll have an apple then."

"How 'bout you, brother?"

"I want some rice." Edward unexpectedly rose from his indifferent posture. "You stay here, Al. I'll get the food."

"That's okay, brother. I can get it." Alphonse insisted as he got up and headed out. Edward didn't quite know what to say.

"He insists on being kind, doesn't he?" Fionnuala pointed out with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess you could look at it that way." Edward was about to return to his seat, when suddenly Nuala got up.

"Hey, Ed."

"Hm?" He turned, a little surprised.

She smiled kindly. "I was just thinking, maybe we got off on the wrong foot, so, uh, maybe we should try this whole getting-to-know-each-other thing one more time."

"Uh-huh..." He seemed uncertain, if not a little suspicious.

But that suspicion soon faded, for she held out her hand, and with a bright smile, she cheerfully introduced herself. "Hi. I'm Fionnuala Riddleson. I'm 15 years old and-"

Edward's eyes widened. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Say your name again."

"Sorry? Oh. Fionnuala Riddleson."

He burst out in laughter. "What kind of a name is _that?_ It sounds like a kind of cheese!" She was shameful, angry, and surprised all at once. Her mind in great conflict, she stared at the ground, trying to hide her embarrassment and wrath. At that moment, Alphonse entered the compartment, a paper bag and porcelain bowl of fried rice in hand. Surprised to find a silent Fionnuala and a snickering Edward, both out of their seats, he immediately inquired as to what had happened.

"I made an attempt to introduce myself," said the 15-year-old girl quietly.

"That's not much of a reason to be laughing," Al noted.

"Admittedly, my name's a little strange."

"What is it?"

"Fionnuala Riddleson. Since it's such a mouthful, I usually go by Nuala with friends."

"It's certainly different," said Alphonse, trying to smooth over the situation by making a friendly conversation out of the problem. "Your parents have a foreign heritage?"

"Not that I know of. They just thought it sounded pretty. Unfortunately, hardly anyone ever spells or says it right."

"Really?" He asked, taking a seat next to Edward's. "How's it spelled?"

"F-I-O-N-N-U-A-L-A. The spelling makes it even weirder." She sighed. By now, Edward had finally ceased his snickers and snorts. "By the way, Edward. I guess it would be too late for me to point out that you're supposed to _shake_ my hand."

Edward was surprised. Her persistence was quite notable. Though she did not expect it, when she put her hand out this time, he shook it with a gloved hand. "Edward Elric, State Alchemist." Even more curious was the fact that his hand was unnervingly hard. Strange.

"Fionnuala," Al tried out saying the name. "Mind if I call you that?"

"Call me whatever you want, Alphonse." Fionnuala said with a light sarcastic laugh. She felt better as she was certain that he was smiling beneath that metal complexion. Both Ed and Nuala resumed their seats after receiving their snacks from Al, and she took up her pack which she had set in the corner. She proceeded to take out a pair of long needles and an incomplete scarf. Quickly, she set to work resuming her knitting project. Every so often she took a bite from the delicious apple.

"You knit, Fionnuala?" Alphonse asked, surprised. Edward was also curious enough to pause from his noisy consumption of the rice.

"Oh, yeah, I do. I don't usually have the money to buy clothes, so I make a lot of them."

"That's a useful talent," said Al. "What else do you like to do?"

Here's a chance to look good, she thought. "Oh, well, I don't have _too _many hobbies. Besides knitting, cooking's kinda fun when I get the opportunity, and I'm decent when it comes to cleaning and..." Just a second. That was starting to sound a little weird. "I sound like a housewife, don't I?"

"Yeah. You do." Edward agreed tersely, and then held the bowl back up to his face to keep eating.

Daggonit, she thought. This making-a-good-impression thing is making my head hurt. Maybe Ed would be more impressed if I had more useful talents.

"Alchemy is probably one of my favorites, but I haven't been able to learn much lately yet. Reading's also fun, too." That might sound better. Actually, truth be told, sucking up all the time was giving her a stomach ache. She felt like an idiot, trying things left and right to look good, and Edward probably didn't even notice, and if he did, it was at a bad moment. Well, she would see how the rest of the day went, and then she would decide how to handle herself from then on.

"By the way, where _are _we going?"

"Didja evem bover tuh rook ah yer ticket?" Ed sharply replied with a mouth full of fried rice.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Fionnuala chastised.

She found her ticket in her pocket. It read, "Departure from: East City; Destination: Durham".

"Durham? Where's that?" Fionnuala asked after taking another bite out of the apple.

Alphonse was the one to respond this time. "It's Southwest of East City. We heard that there's a collection of rare books there that might have some useful information."

"What are you guys trying to look up?"

Alphonse looked uncertainly towards his brother. He seemed to be waiting for a confirmation. Fionnuala was suddenly very curious. Maybe this had something to do with the brothers' abnormalities. For a short moment, there was no answer, until Edward put his finished bowl aside and ended the silence with a sigh. "We're looking for information on the Philosopher's Stone."

"The Philosopher's Stone?"

"Do you not know what it is?" Alphonse asked.

"What alchemist _doesn't?_" Nuala responded. "I'm just surprised is all."

Neither of the brothers had anything to say. Fionnuala remembered that Riza and the Colonel had pointed out that Edward and Alphonse would explain themselves in time. Answers would have to wait. Seconds passed with no words.

Fionnuala was desperate to revive the conversation. "So, we're just going to do some research in a library?"

"Pretty much," replied Alphonse.

"Sounds like fun. I haven't sat down with a good book for a while." Fionnuala smiled brightly.

Alphonse and Fionnuala talked for a little while about literature favorites, while Edward stared out the window. Fionnuala couldn't help but wonder at how reading interests made Alphonse even more unlike his intimidating appearance; the more she learned of him, the more he seemed like an intelligent, young boy. But she did not bother him about it. In time, the two grew quiet and preoccupied themselves with other things. The brothers seemed off in their worlds, and the girl continued to knit. The only sound was the repetitive humdrum of the train.

Eventually Edward got up and pulled open the compartment door.

"Where are you going, brother?"

"Just for a little walk around. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay."

He closed the door behind him, and then sighed before walking towards the front of the car. What a bother, this so called 'help with duties' business. He didn't see how this girl would help him, so far, it seemed that all she could do was knit and lag behind.

"Bleh. Maybe I'm wrong. Al seems to have a lot of faith in her." He thought out loud. "I guess I'll give her a few days." His mind then wandered off to other things.

But naturally, life with the Elrics never stayed quiet for too long.

A man burst through the front door of the car. He was tall, and a little burly. He went off at a run down the hall, harshly pushing Edward away by the shoulder. "Outta my way, ya little punk!"


	5. Part V All Bark and No Bite

LSDG

Part the Fifth

"All Bark and No Bite"

Like a light bulb switching on, the alchemist launched out of his lethargic state of mind and into attack mode. "Who are you calling a puny midget who needs to be put in his place, you jerk!" The man ignored him and kept running. Beneath his arm was a large purse, far too feminine for a man of his type to be toting about. Just as he disappeared around the corner at the opposite end of the car, Edward brought his white-gloved hands together in a clapping motion.

Inside the compartment, both Fionnuala and Alphonse looked up in unison. They heard raised voices, but once they heard Edward barking about his height insecurity, they had a pretty good idea what had happened.

In a flash of brilliant light, the floor morphed into an obstacle course. Ridges popped out of the woodwork to trip the thief, bits of the walls extended to stop him in his tracks, but it was all to no avail. Edward had reacted too late, and the man had already vanished.

Alphonse pulled open the sliding door and looked into the hall, while Fionnuala peered out beneath him. Both of their eyes widened as they watched Edward spring forward to down the hall and around the corner, apparently in pursuit. Nervously, the two stepped out.

"Whoa! Is this all the result of a transmutation?" Fionnuala said as she ogled at the deformed floor and walls.

Alphonse sighed. "He must have lost his temper." He looked about the hallway. "Brother? You there?"

Fionnuala ran to the opposite end of the car, dodging the traps in the floor, to look beyond the corner that Edward had disappeared to.

"Alphonse!" She cried, sprinting back to the compartment. "Get your stuff! Edward's jumped off the train!"

"WHAT?"

* * *

"You're crazy fast for such a little guy!" 

"You're gonna pay for that!"

Edward was still some meters behind his prey. Between his size and his heavy automail, keeping up with a beefy full-grown man wasn't an easy task. Again, he clapped his hands together and pressed them to the ground.

This time, he was successful. A yellow light flickered and the earth at the burglar's feet transformed into a rope that wrapped around his legs many times and was tied to the ground. Mortified, and nearly helpless, he fell to the ground, his face hitting the grass with a thud.

"Gotcha!" Edward breathed for a little while and then stood up proudly and grinned. "That wasn't so hard." He walked to the man's side and looked down upon him with his hands on his hips. Condescendingly, he said, "So I imagine that that purse doesn't belong to you. Hand it over."

"I don't have it."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Really? You sure it's not in there?" He pointed to his backpack.

The man pushed himself up with his free hands and sat up on his knees. "Yes, I'm sure. I don't have it."

"C'mon. Hand it over now and maybe I won't report you." Edward reached out with a golved hand to take the pack by the top handle. However, the only reply the teenager received was a full-throttle punch to the face. "Ow! Dammit, that hurt."

The alleged thief quickly undid his bonds. "Don't mess with me, kid. I don't have the stupid purse."

As Edward stood up and dusted himself off, the man came at him like a bulldozer, fist ready for a second impact. "So it's a fight you want, eh?" He ducked under the strike, stepped slightly to the right, and then hit hard into the man's side with his right arm. Swiftly, he followed the move by coming down hard on his back with his left elbow, sending the man right back down to the ground.

"Major Edward Elric, at your service," he said with a grin, and he placed his boot firmly upon the back of the man's neck.

"Brother!"

"What _are _you doing to him?"

Edward looked up to see Alphonse and a flushed Fionnuala, sweating and panting." I suppose you could call it justice." Neither of his traveling companions were amused. "He stole a purse, so I went after him."

Fionnuala clapped a hand to her forehead in exasperation.

"He left that purse on the train. I gave it to a lady when she came running into our car looking for it." Alphonse said.

"And now we've wasted our tickets."

For a while, Ed stared, and eventually his gaze fell down to the man. "Whatever," he said with a sigh, and stepped over what was beneath his foot. He put his hands in his pockets, and walked past Fionnuala and Alphonse, in the direction that the train had gone.

"Where are you going, brother?"

"Train's long gone. We gotta get to Durham some way, and the only way I can see is walking."

Both Nuala and Al hurried to catch up with him. Now, Alphonse was relatively used to this behavior, but Fionnuala, on the other hand, was not about to let it fly.

"You could at least, apologize, you know." No response. "Like, 'Sorry I'm making you guys walk all the way there,' or _something._" Edward was adamant, his face fixed to look straight ahead into the distance that stood between them and Durham. "Look, at least hold your stuff." She held out his trunk in front of him, which he quietly took from her. "Are you always this stubborn or are you trying extra hard this week? How far is it to Durham, anyway?"

And that was the straw that broke the camel's back for Edward. In frustration, he stopped in his tracks and turned to Fionnuala, who was at his right, and swiftly swung his left foot high into the air, seeming to aim at her head. "Shut up!"

"Brother!"

Alphonse didn't really need to worry. For one, it wasn't Edward's intention to hurt the girl, just scare her a little into leaving him alone, but secondly, and more importantly, this rash course of action had a result that neither brother dreamed would occur.

Before Edward's boot could come within three inches of her face, Fionnuala grabbed his leg by the shin with her left hand, stopping it in its path. Immediately, she hooked her left foot around his right ankle, which was still on the ground, and pulled it sharply out from beneath him, forcing him to land square on his buttocks, legs in the air, until they fell with a thud to the grass. All this she did in one fluid motion. And with a fiery look in her eye, she put her hands on her hips and leaned forward slightly to look at the grounded teenager straight in the face.

"You need to watch that explosive temper of yours. It's gonna get you in trouble one day. And if you are under the impression that I'm going to keep my mouth shut while you let it get us into some screwed up mess, you've got another thing coming." And with a "hmph," she turned and continued walking.

"What just happened?" Edward asked, bewildered.

"I have no idea," said Alphonse, with a similar reaction.

Some yards ahead, Fionnuala yelled, "You got your ass kicked by a girl is what happened."

She felt like a bull, storming off, nostrils flared, and snarling. Sneaking a glance behind her, she saw that the brothers were walking only a few feet behind her. In time, they came to be only a couple strides behind. Alphonse was looking back and forth between the girl and the land ahead. Edward stared with his head cocked at Fionnuala rather puzzled. His hands had returned to his pockets.

"Durham is about a day to a day and half's walk from here, in case you were wondering, Fionnuala." Said Al timidly.

"Thank you, Alphonse. And you can call me Nuala, if you want," she replied, still looking ahead.

"I have to admit, I thought you were all bark and no bite." Said Edward. "So where'd you learn to fight?"

"Why? You jealous?"

Edward's eyes narrowed. "Look, _Noodles_, don't flatter yourself. If you think you're all slick just because you dodged a half-hearted attack, you should know that I wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing because you're a girl."

"That's every guy's excuse. And if you think you're so clever, then you should know that if I _really _wanted to hurt you, I would have used my _right _foot to pull out your leg from beneath you instead of my left. By doing so, you would have flopped on the ground with your legs flying apart, and I would proceed to kick you squarely between them."

"I'm afraid that's the second time she's gotten you, brother."

"Shut up!"

Fionnuala did her best to hide a smirk. When she regained her composure, she said, "My mother taught me, if that's what you were wondering."

"Your _mother_ taught you to fist-fight like that?" Asked Alphonse, rather surprised.

"She didn't happen to be named Izumi Curtis did she?" Added Edward under his breath.

"Her name was Jacqueline Riddleson. Who's Izumi?"

"Our teacher," said Alphonse. "She instructed us in alchemy from when we were little."

"Oh? I would have liked to have met her."


	6. Part VI Revelations

Part VI

Revelations

Eventually the three teenagers came upon a large pond with trees and other plant-life gathered near its edges. The sun was beginning to set, and they had talked a good deal since the train incident. And this time, it wasn't all sneering and pointing fingers, but a fairly legitimate conversation, at least, by comparison with the previous talk. This had left Fionnuala in a rather contented state of mind. She was enjoying a friendly talk; Edward had finally cooled his head, and Alphonse could finally stop playing referee.

"How about we stop here for tonight?" Suggested Alphonse, looking to the oasis.

"Looks comfy." Fionnuala said with a cheery smile, and quickly she entered the tiny wood. Quite expertly, she began to arrange a campsite in a clearing.

"Really know what you're doing, huh?" Edward noted shrewdly.

"How very observant of you." Replied Fionnuala. "Aren't you guys supposed to be my hosts?" She looked up to see Edward staring quizzically.

"Your point is?"

"Do they not teach you anything of _etiquette_ back at military HQ? I'm _merely _pointing out that you should be more like a gentleman, and help set up camp."

With that explanation, Edward quickly gave his reply. "I seem to remember that your job was to help me with my 'duties'. I suppose a little manual labor will do for now."

Fionnuala chose to say nothing, and resumed work preparing sites for a fire and a place to sleep. Alphonse and Edward walked into the clearing to help, the former promptly joining Fionnuala in cleaning an area for a campfire.

"I'm sorry about my brother. It was wrong of him to say that."

"It's alright," Fionnuala cheerfully replied. "It was just a lame attempt at regaining his dignity." There was something about how brightly she smiled as she answered that frightened Alphonse.

"Hey, I heard that." Edward's voice suddenly came from the opposite side of the clearing.

"Good. Think about it for a while." Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she took a long breath, and then pushed some dry leaves into a pile for kindling. "You know," she said to the younger brother. "You shouldn't apologize on his behalf all the time, Al. He _is _your older brother."

"Yeah, but he'd never admit he was wrong, unless it was something really bad."

"That may be, but I don't think it would hurt him to 'clean up his own messes,' so to speak." For a while she paused to think. "Anyways, I don't mind helping, really. It's kinda my job now, isn't it?"

By the time the sun set, they had a fire going; Edward had laid out his coat to sleep on, and Fionnuala had her blanket spread out.

"It's been a while since we slept outside, huh, Al?" Edward said as he stared into the newborn flames.

"Yeah, it has."

"Let's go see if there are any fish in that pond." The brothers got up and brushed themselves off.

Fionnuala looked up. "You mean you guys don't have anything to eat?"

"Usually when we're out doors," replied Alphonse, "we just eat fish."

"Well, if you guys bring a few vegetables and spices in the future, I can cook something. But if you guys want fish, I can make something to go with it."

The brothers looked surprised at each other for a moment. All they ever did was put fish on a stick, and toast it; that was it. "Sounds good," Alphonse said finally.

"Alright. See you later."

So the brothers left, and went to the lakeside. There they transmuted a small net. While finding a good place to cast the net, they watched questioningly as Fionnuala came to collect water from the pond. Eventually they caught themselves six small fish, and satisfied with their catch, they returned to camp. When they arrived, they found Fionnuala at work boiling something in a small bowl. But that wasn't all that was there. Three cups were laid out near the fire, and small torch like structures, set up at various point around the camp, were smoking.

"Oh, you're back," said Fionnuala looking up with a smile.

Edward glanced around. "What's all this?" He asked.

"It's late summer, so this place is teaming with stuff to eat. If we were staying out here for a few days, I'd hang out a few herbs to dry for later, but we're obviously not. But there's more than enough for a meal. Do you guys usually toast your fish?" The brothers nodded in reply. "Good, 'cause there isn't much else we can do with them. Next time we're buying vegetable oil and frying it." She peered over the fire at their catch. "Looks like you guys were lucky. Go ahead and find some branches for the fish." Quickly, they did as they were told. Though they did not say anything, they both were intrigued with how different Fionnuala was from the awkward girl they met the day before.

In little time, the threesome were sitting around the fire, each with fish, a cup of sassafras tea, which tastes a little like root beer, and a bowl of what turned out to be applesauce.

"What are the torches for?" Alphonse asked curiously.

"Smoke keeps insects away."

"I see."

"I must admit," Edward chimed in, "that this is pretty good eating for being out in the middle of nowhere."

"I'm glad you like it." Fionnuala replied. As they ate, Fionnuala watched as Alphonse would tear off a piece of fish, lift up his helmet slightly, and then toss it inside. "Why don't you take off your helmet to eat, Alphonse?"

"Umm.." He turned nervously to his brother.

Ed sighed. "She's gonna find out sooner or later, Al."

Fionnuala was confused, but then she realized that this may be part of the mystery enshrouding the Elrics. Suddenly, she became very attentive and curious.

Alphonse hesitated, and looked at the ground. "Please don't be frightened, Nuala."

Fionnuala watched with concern as the shy Elric lifted off his helmet. She half-expected to see a burned or scarred face by the fuss he was making, but her eyes widened as the truth came in to view. He had no head at all, or a body by the looks of it.

"But how?"

"His soul," Edward quietly replied, "is alchemically bound to the armor. It's a long story."

Fionnuala now understood a little more why Riza and Colonel Mustang had warned her about the brothers. "Wow. I don't really know what to say."

Alphonse quickly put his helmet back on. "You're not scared of me?"

Fionnuala's wide eyes melted to sympathy. "Well, it's not something I see everyday. But that doesn't mean that I think you're a freak or anything. Being made of metal doesn't make you bad person, does it?"

Alphonse was speechless, and simply stared at the ground.

* * *

Something rustled in the bushes. The younger Elric stirred from his sleep, or in his case, a light state of dormancy. "Ed, what are you doing?" He turned over and sat up, but his brother was sound asleep, his head resting peacefully on his bright red coat. It was late, and the threesome had put themselves to sleep a hour or so ago. Alphonse looked to the other side of the fire, to where Fionnuala had laid herself down on her blanket. But to his surprise, there was no girl lying there. Where did she go? He thought. Quietly as he could, he stood up and looked about. The fire had gone out, and the pale moonlight barely illuminated his shadowy surroundings. He walked the perimeter of the clearing, looking behind trees and into the distance. No Fionnuala.

Worried, he began to wonder if she had run off, or taken away. Her things were still here, so it was doubtful that she ran. "Brother!" He whispered urgently, shaking his brother's shoulder.

Edward groaned. "What, Al?"

"Fionnuala's gone! I can't find her." He replied, just managing to whisper.

"What!" Edward quickly sat up. "Did she steal anything?"

"_Brother! _Of course not. She didn't even take _her _things."

The suspicious elder brother stopped himself, his eyebrows skewed questioningly. "That's weird. Did you check the pond?"

"Not yet."

He stood up, and the two quietly made their way through the growth to the pond. As they approached, they made out a figure on the opposite side of the lake, simply taking small steps. But when they were just about to step into the open shoreline, they realized the figure wasn't walking on the other side of the lake, but rather _on _the lake.

"Al! Get down!"

"Ah!" Alphonse felt himself pulled behind a bush. The brothers crouched and peered through the spaces between the leaves.

"Shhh. It's coming closer."

"Is that _Nuala_?"

Edward's eyes widened as he realized the girl with whom they had spent the last day was now walking on water, walking _backwards _for that matter.

"AH! She's an alien!"

"What!"

Both the brothers were flabbergasted; unable to determine an explanation for this phenomenon. They watched as the levitating Fionnuala turned, and knelt down. Then she seemed to press her hands to the water. Yellow light glimmered, and steam began to hiss.

"Wait a minute, Al. She's using _alchemy_."

The younger brother looked at her again, harder this time, as she lightly skimmed the palm of her hand over the water. "You're right." Then, she stood up, and looked straight in their direction. She was about 20 feet away, and had looked towards the water's surface the whole time, so that they had never gotten a glimpse of her face. It was then that they realized that she had removed the blue ribbon that she kept tied around her head, and there was something on her brow. Some shape.

She smiled pleasantly. "Nice of you two to come out."

Alphonse laughed nervously as he stood up and walked to the shore, his brother following him.

"Clever method, I have to say," Edward said. "Pretty showy, too."

"What do you mean?" Fionnuala replied confused.

"You didn't even have to transmute the water to walk on it. All you did was rearrange the molecules to condense, and become a near solid surface."

Fionnuala scoffed and gave a half smirk. "Pretty quick, aren't you?"

"The steam gave it away, didn't it, brother?" Asked Alphonse.

"Because the closer the molecules are, the more they bounce off each other, creating friction, which results in heat." Finished Fionnuala. She pressed her hands to the water; the light came again, and soon steam rose from all the water between her and the brothers. "Give it a try."

Tentatively, they both took a step onto the water, and as expected, their feet stayed on the surface. Edward leading, they walked towards her. "But you can't draw a circle on water, so that must mean..."

Fionnuala grew nervous as she felt his piercing gold eyes fixated upon her forehead. He stopped and crossed his arms. Eventually she bent her head in embarrassment, rubbing her fingers on the place where he stared.

"Bit of a weird place to have a transmutation circle tattooed."

"What!" Alphonse exclaimed.

"It's a long story," she replied, sitting down.

"We're not exactly in a hurry." Alphonse said as the brothers sat down as well.

Fionnuala looked up, her bangs brushing over the symbol that permanently stained her brow. It was made up of two black ellipses, and four blue triangles. "I was having a hard go at life on my own, and a girl, Ariana, older than I, offered to help me out. She gave me food, and allowed me to stay with her and her friends for protection and company. Turned out, it was a gang, and their form of branding was to get a tattoo on the forehead: cover it up, except at night when the gang was at work. I was hesitant, but I needed security, so I agreed. I chose to get a transmutation circle, so that I could at least use it. For a while, things were alright, but then I realized how far the group would go to get what they wanted. We would beat up harmless, innocent people, and it scared me. So I ran, and a few years later I'm in East City. I'm not exactly proud of how naive I was."

"Don't feel bad. You made the right choice," said Alphonse encouragingly.

"It doesn't bother you that I'm a former delinquent, does it?" She asked softly.

Alphonse shook his head intently. "Of course not. Having a tattoo on your forehead doesn't make you a bad person, does it?"

Fionnuala's eyes widened, but then she smiled. "Thank you, Alphonse."

"Well, it's good to know you've got some guts," Edward interrupted sharply. "Getting out of the mess and everything."

Her expression switched from contentedness to irritation. "Why _thank_ you, Edward."

"What's wrong, Noodleface? Did I say something?"

"Midget."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING..." But the enraged teenager couldn't finish, because before he knew it, Fionnuala had liquefied the water beneath him, and he fell straight through with a splash. The other two could only laugh.

* * *

_Dear Keeper,_

_It's been my first whole day, and whole it certainly was. I write this message to you very late at night near some pond between East City and Durham. We should be in Durham, but Edward had to jump off the train to chase some guy. Long story. Anyways, I've learned a lot today. Turns out, Alphonse has no body save for his armor. His soul is attached to the armor via alchemy. It was hard to believe, certainly, but his lack of a head was enough to convince me. But I can't think any less of him, since he's so kind and considerate. And he accepted me quite well when I told the brothers of my past back with the gang in Palm. I ended up explaining the whole story when they saw me using alchemy on the water._

_I've also discovered something for myself today. This morning, I would have done anything if it impressed the brothers, especially Edward. Sucking up, and figuring out ways to look good, it was more than degrading. It wasn't until I started being myself that things looked up for the better. I think the brothers respect me a little more since I've spoken what's actually on my mind. I guess what I really mean is, _if someone does not appreciate you for who you are, it's a waste of time to try proving otherwise_. Instead, hold your head high, shine your true colors, and then you'll be something worthy of regard. Good night, Keeper._

_With all sincerity,_

_Fionnuala_


	7. Part VII The Need for Secrecy

LSDG

Part the Seventh

"The Need for Secrecy"

"Quaint little place, isn't it?" Fionnuala said as the group entered the town of Durham. The sun had set barely an hour ago. After a day and half's worth of walking, all three were ready for pleasant rooms and comfy beds.

"It is sort of... quiet." Edward agreed. Hardly anyone was walking the streets. But as they moved further in, they noticed the number of lit windows, especially in those of taverns and pubs.

"Guess they're all drinking, huh?" Guessed Fionnuala, looking into the window of a saloon at their left. "Well, at least one of these taverns has to have an inn. Why not try this one?" She pointed to the place she had been watching. Muffled laughter could be heard from inside. The brothers followed her to the entrance. Turning the black iron knob, they opened the wooden door to a warm, pleasant room and bar. People were laughing at the bar, some were gambling on the tables, and others quietly enjoying the evening.

"Hello there!" A young waitress stopped in front of them, a tray under her arm. "Can I help you with anything?"

Fionnuala answered, as she was standing nearest to the girl. "Is there an inn at this tavern?"

"Why yes. Are you looking for a room?"

Fionnuala looked to Edward. She felt awkward making the orders when it was his money she was spending. He raised his eyebrow at her, but he seemed happy enough to make the request.

"Two, please."

"Right this way." The waitress replied. Her old fashioned, cream-colored skirt swishing at her ankles as she turned and led them to the back of the room, where there was a narrow flight of stairs.

As they followed her to the next floor, Edward muttered, "I have to pay double at hotels now. Why did I agree to this?"

"Brother, we always have extra cash. It's not like we're gonna go broke. Be nice."

"Hmph."

Fionnuala pretended not to listen. Thankfully, she didn't have to hear any more of Edward's negative comments, because the waitress opened two doors and turned on lamps in both rooms. "Here you are," she said as she came back out. "My name's Katie." She said with a cheery smile. "If you need anything, just come and ask."

"Thank you." Fionnuala replied before going into one of the rooms. It was simple, but more than a welcome sight. She put her bag down on the bed, and then went back into the hall. "Hey, you guys going down to eat?"

"Yeah, I'm starving." Edward said, throwing his coat on a bed and walking back out, Alphonse behind him. All three walked back down the stairs and found themselves a table. "What do you want to eat, Fionnuala?" Edward asked.

Taken aback, she quickly looked up, her eyes wide. "Uh... Just a sandwich. Reuben or something. And water."

"Okay... Something wrong?" He asked, staring at her perplexedly.

"Not really. It just dawned on me that that's the first time you've said my name. That's all."

Edward looked at her as though she'd just spoken in a foreign language. He shook his head and left the table. "Whatever."

The remaining two watched for a moment as Edward went to the bar to make an order. Nuala then looked back down at the table, and rested her arms on the wooden surface.

"I suppose I shouldn't apologize." Alphonse quietly said in jest.

Fionnuala smiled. "No." Suddenly, she felt a bump on her chair.

"Oh! Sorry." Said a feminine voice.

Fionnuala turned her head to see who it was that had spoken. As their eyes met, both widened and stared.

"Fionnuala?"

"Ariana?"

The young woman's expression relaxed. "It _is _you! What are you doing here?" Her face exuded a weathered, but confident glow.

"I should ask the same."

She giggled nervously. "Hehe. Yeah. Long story." She was dressed in black, save for her jeans, which were stuffed into her boots. Her dark hair matched her outfit, however her sharp amber eyes certainly did not. Those bright eyes shifted to the curious Alphonse, sitting opposite from Nuala on the circular table. "Who's your friend?"

"Ariana, this is Alphonse Elric. Alphonse, this is Ariana."

"Nice to meet you." Said Ariana, flashing a grin.

"You, too."

Fionnuala had been smiling at the meeting of her old friend, but suddenly her expression changed to curiosity. "Wait a minute, if _you're_ here, does that mean the rest of...?"

"Shh.." Ariana's eyes began to shift about nervously. "We shouldn't talk about it here. The answer to your question is yes."

Fionnuala nodded, seeming to understand the necessity of silence. "I guess I shouldn't keep you any longer then."

Ariana gave a thumbs-up and grinned. "'Kay. Good seeing you again, Nuala."

Fionnuala called after her as she left. "All right, I'll see you around." With that, she disappeared through the door.

The sound of a scooting chair made Fionnuala turn back to the table suddenly. There she watched Edward take his seat between her and Alphonse; he then placed a glass of water and a plate with a tasty sandwich. She looked at her meal and briefly glanced at him before she quietly voicing her thanks and pulling the plate closer to take the first savory bite.

"Who _was _that just now?" He asked after swallowing his first mouthful. "She looked kinda suspicious."

"And we don't?" Fionnuala replied bluntly, raising her eyebrows.

Edward shrugged and sighed. "Point taken."

"It figures you should think that, though."

"Why's that?" Asked Alphonse.

"Remember the girl I mentioned in my story last night about the gang in Palm? That was her."

Edward asked the next question. "What's she doing in a small place like this?"

Fionnuala lowered her voice. "I'd rather not talk about it here. Never know who's listening. I'll explain later."

The evening went by peacefully. Fionnuala thanked Edward for dinner again, and he even admitted that he was a little thankful for her cooking the night before, which left all three of them in a good mood. Later in the brothers' room, Fionnuala answered questions concerning Ariana and the gang.

"I asked her if the gang was here. Apparently, I was right." She replied when Alphonse asked about Ariana's cautious responses in the tavern. "I figured that she wouldn't be in a town alone. She was one of the gang's most loyal members. The gang is wanted for many things: murder, robbery, probably armed robbery. So, as you can imagine, guilt by association is a possibility, one that anyone fears, whether you're in the group or not. Hence, the need for secrecy."

"This gang have a name?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, 'The Marked'. Because of the tattoos each member is required to get."

The brothers didn't trouble her with any more questions. They could see that her usually bright and clear blue eyes had darkened after all the talk. So she left the brothers to go to bed, washed herself a little in a bath, and then put herself to sleep.

Light fell across the room as Fionnuala opened the curtains to look out the window. She pulled it open, and leaned out to feel a cool breeze embrace her face. It would be a balmy day, she decided. A few clouds lazily drifted by, and the sun had been up long enough to warm the air. Perfect, she thought.

Suddenly, she heard a tapping at the door. "Fionnuala? Are you up?" It was Alphonse.

"Yeah, Al," she said as she closed the window and walked to the door to pull it open. There stood the gargantuan being that was the mild-mannered younger Elric.

"Good morning, Nuala."

"Morning, Al. What's up?"

"Brother's heading down for some breakfast, so I thought I'd tell you."

"Great, I'm pretty hungry."Alphonse stepped out of the way to let her pass. "Wait, should I bring my bag?"

"Only if there's something you need. I think Brother intends to stay for a few days, so we're not checking out."

"Oh, okay," she replied, and left her room. She followed Alphonse down the stairs to find Edward at a table. They ate breakfast and exited the hotel after telling the innkeeper that their rooms were to remain locked until they returned. Then they were out walking down the street in the pleasant daylight, Edward in the middle of the three and directing the way.

"So where are we going?" Fionnuala asked, looking to Edward.

"To the home of Charles Bailey." He replied promptly.

Fionnuala decided to lighten the mood by acting a little playful. She skipped out in front, turned to the brothers, and began to walk backwards. Edward seemed to think this a little odd, but neither of the brothers seemed to mind. "Is he rich?" She asked, smiling sheepishly.

"I don't think so," he said.

"Famous?"

"Not really."

Fionnuala sighed. Sometimes Edward was like a king in a fortress. Stubborn, egocentric, and hiding behind unrelenting walls of secrecy. "Why are you walking like that? You're gonna fall."

"I just wanted to ask some questions." Fionnuala replied innocently. "You worried I'm gonna hurt myself?"

"You're weird, you know that?"

"Perhaps," she replied, her smile turning to a grin. "So why are we visiting him?"

"We told you on the train, remember?" Alphonse reminded her.

Fionnuala recalled the conversation they had in the compartment. "The books, you mean?"

Edward put his hands in his pockets and answered. "Charles Bailey is apparently very educated, and collects books on science for a hobby. We're hoping his collection might have the info we could use."

She suddenly remembered the suspicious talk of the famed red stone that the brothers seemed to be looking for. "Stuff on the Philo–"

"Nuala!" Alphonse called out, as Fionnuala had tripped on a crack in the pavement, and fell backwards.

"Aah!" Unfortunately, because Fionnuala had been walking pretty close to Edward, her feet had caused him to lose his footing as well.

Fionnuala felt her back hit the hard ground, and she opened her eyes to see Edward falling uncontrollably towards her. Within a fraction of a second, what was about to happen played through her mind. He was going land right on top of her, his face ending up within centimeters of hers, if any distance at all... and... if his knees and elbows gave in when he landed...

Two words came to her just then: _as if._

Faster than she could say "cliché," she rolled over and out of way. She looked up into the sky, and the next thing she heard was a loud thud and Alphonse yelling to them. "Brother! Fionnuala!"

The girl immediately got up and looked to her right. Alphonse was totally flabbergasted. He knelt down next to Edward. "Brother! Are you alright!" There was a brief silence.

Then they heard Ed's muffled voice. "Ow... My..nose..."

Fionnuala almost snorted, and began to laugh.


	8. Part VII Child Prodigies

Part the Eighth

Child Prodigies

Edward took the cloth away from his nose to see how much more blood it had absorbed. It was only a little, but he was still very irritated by the whole thing. "Dammit, Nuala. Why'd you have to go and do that?" The group had just left the local hospital, and was now back on course to the home of Charles Bailey. Alphonse had insisted someone look at Edward's nose, just in case it was actually broken. Fionnuala, in spite of the fact that she was rather preoccupied with suppressing her laughter, had also encouraged a visit to a nurse. By now, her laughs had died down.

"Do what?" She asked nonchalantly.

Irritated, he glared at her out of the corner of his eye. She pretended not to notice. Admittedly, she was enjoying this, in a twisted sort of way. Of course, she felt bad that he had a sore and bleeding nose after suffering a hard fall, but the circumstances were almost amusing.

"You know what I mean."

"Are you implying that I should have let you kiss me? Because when I was given the choice of that or your nose smashed in–"

He seemed a little embarrassed by the prospect of kissing, but he barely let it show. "I wasn't going to _kiss _you. And you shouldn't have even been walking in front of us in the first place."

"Whatever..."

* * *

Charles Bailey turned out to be a pleasant, almost cheerful, middle-aged man, though it seemed to Fionnuala that his age was just starting to catch up with him. He coughed every so often, and when he started off briskly down the hall, he promptly found himself aching and walking more slowly, and with a most disappointed expression on his face. Fionnuala concluded that these changes in his daily life were recent; that not but a few months ago, he could breathe easy and walk quickly, and for that she pitied him.

His house was not very large, but his entire basement was a shrine dedicated to his interest in science. Probably the largest room in his house, it was filled with books and neatly organized into rows of bookshelves that created the illusion of a maze. Biology, physics, chemistry, alchemy, name it and there was a pile of books on the subject. Much to the group's delight, Mr. Bailey granted them full access to this mountain of knowledge. Apparently, Edward was relatively well-known in these parts, because after seeing his watch, and hearing his name and title, the Fullmetal Alchemist, Mr. Bailey's eyebrows rose, and he eagerly ushered them into his library.

While most girls at Fionnuala's age would be completely bored when left in such a room, it was not so with her. Once Mr. Bailey had left them, she followed the brothers to the alchemy section. She picked out a shelf and ran her finger along the spines of a number of books, until she selected a certain one bound in navy leather. _Alchemy for the Elements _it read in faded gold lettering on the cover.

The brothers chose their books with an uncommon deftness and certainty. It couldn't have been more than thirty seconds by the time they each had four books in hand and had made themselves comfortable in the aisle they were in. Fionnuala sat down as well, and choosing to not to comment on the nature of their actions, she opened her book and began to read.

It was almost awkward to have a silent moment. They always seemed to be cracking jokes or bickering or making small talk, or at the very least there was noise nearby. Fionnuala ignored the uneasy atmosphere after observing it for a little while, and engrossed herself in her book.

For an hour or two, the only disturbances were the occasional check-in from Mr. Bailey. The group had remained quiet during this time, until Alphonse broke the silence.

"Hey, brother. Read the second paragraph on this page." He handed his book to Edward, and pointed to the page on the left. This piqued enough of Nuala's interest to make her avert her eyes to watch the brothers.

For a brief moment, there was quiet. Edward's golden eyes were moving quickly across the page, processing the information that the passage contained with an optimum efficiency. Admittedly, Fionnuala had a strange fascination with his eyes. They often seemed thoughtful, and were expressive in a vague sort of way. Now they were sharp and acute, making him seem far more mature than he had acted before. She had never seen him so... _focused._

Once Edward had finished, he made a noise resembling a "hmph", as if he were approving the composition. "What's interesting is how he explains the process of–" After that, it was a complete and total blur to Nuala's ears.

Both of the brothers began to use incomprehensible alchemy lingo—stuff she had dreamed of breaking down and understanding as a child, and still to that day. It was then that she realized why Edward had the authority and power that he did, why everyone put up with him, and ultimately, what it was like to be in the presence of a complete genius. Alphonse was right in there with him, discussing this wordy and complicated topic, which apparently was about the reconstruction stage in a transmutation. She was surprised with Alphonse as well, since he was timid, and only shed light on his intelligence with modesty; and here he was, talking about alchemy in lengthy sentences on a professional level. They were almost different people; and she thought to herself, they must _love _what they do.

By the time she had finished contemplating this, the exchange had died down, and she said bluntly, "Holy crap. You guys are 14 and 15 and you _understand _that stuff?"

Edward blinked. "Yeah, I wouldn't be a state alchemist if I didn't."

Fionnuala had the widest, most childish expression on her face. "That's amazing. Will you teach me?" This took the elder Elric by surprise. She had changed from being the independent girl he had seen her as, to an eager student, ready to consume the knowledge he provided. It didn't at all match his impression of her.

"Teach you?"

"Yeah. My mother never got to finish my education in alchemy. Maybe you could teach me what I need to know to be more than a novice."

This was the first thing she had ever really asked of him. Her joining in the group had been forced by Mustang without his permission, therefore he felt unsure of how to respond. Finally, he replied. "Sure."

This made her smile—a bright, pleased smile. "You, too, Al. I want you both to teach me."

Al nodded. "Okay." Both the brothers were speechless from the revelation of this new side of Nuala's personality. She suddenly seemed much sweeter, more benign.

* * *

About an hour or so later, Fionnuala left the house to buy some fruit to snack on. Mr. Bailey had stepped out only a little before she did, leaving the Elrics alone to their studies. She was walking through the open-air market when she spotted a stand that featured Red Delicious and Fuji apples, her favorites. She began to examine the fruit, picking out a few good ones. She decided to buy five. Edward had lent her money for just a little more than that. That way, she would return with a little change, and wouldn't have to suffer the guilt of spending every penny of the allowance. She leaned forward to select last apple, and then reached for it, when suddenly she felt a light tap at her back, and then a slightly sharper tug at the crook of her arm.

Fionnuala straightened her back and looked around confusedly, until she looked to her right. A few feet away stood a young boy, dressed in rather uniquely styled outfit, and brown hair that became blond at the ends. He looked up at her with innocent, round eyes, but then they thinned out as he grinned. Fionnuala didn't know what to say. Who was this kid? He was a cute little thing, whoever he was.

"Wolfy! Why did you do that?" A young blond-haired woman, who looked to be about eighteen, ran over to the child. "I'm very sorry." She said in a much kinder tone to Nuala. "He isn't usually like this." She looked back to the boy. "Now apologize."

The boy looked up at her blankly, but then made a motion with his hands to Nuala and bowed his head to her. She wondered, was he too shy to actually say anything? Maybe he was embarrassed by being reprimanded by this woman, and that's what kept him from talking.

"Your apology is accepted." She said warmly, in hopes of remedying his shame. He looked up quickly, with his burnished, caramel-colored eyes. He might have seemed to be expressionless, but now that he was making direct eye contact, Nuala suddenly felt like she was peering into a mind full of flickering thoughts, one coming rapidly after another. But at the same time, she felt like she was being closely examined, much deeper than she was into him. Nuala almost had to shake her head to rid herself of her trance. She had never been so intrigued by a person. "Wolfy? Is that your name?"

He nodded. "It's short for Wolfgang." Said the lady, putting her hand on his shoulder. Let him speak for himself, Nuala thought irritatedly.

"Well, Wolfy. My name's Fionnuala. Is there anything I can do for you?" Wolfy nodded. "What's that?" He pointed to her, and then made a gesture that seemed to say, "Come with me."

Then it occurred to Fionnuala why the boy had been so quiet, and the following moment supported her guess. "Wolfy," the lady said in a hushed tone. "You shouldn't ask people you don't know to come to your house." He looked up at her, as if to say, "Why not?" He was mute. This aroused a great deal of pity in Nuala.

The woman sighed, and then looked to Fionnuala. "Would you like to come to our house for lunch?"

Wolfy turned his imploring gaze to her. "I'd love to." She replied. She simply couldn't say not to those eyes.

"My name's Lydia. I'm his older sister." Said the young woman, and she held out her hand with a soft smile.

Fionnuala paid for her fruit and then walked with Lydia and Wolfgang to their home, which was simple, and a little smaller than Mr. Bailey's. It had a warm, cabin-like feeling, but also a certain degree of loneliness, and quiet.

No matter where Nuala went in the house, Wolfy always seemed to be very close, skittishly following her about. Fionnuala smiled each time she turned and saw him right behind her. Obviously, he couldn't explain it, so she didn't bother asking.

Lydia made sandwiches for lunch, and the three of them sat outside on the porch. They talked for a short while, Nuala explaining in summary how she got there. In so many words, she was a temporary "assistant" of sorts to a traveling state alchemist. As it turned out, neither Wolfy nor Lydia had a strong interest in the sciences, but they were intrigued that Fionnuala was in cahoots with a military officer. As the conversation subsided, Nuala's curiosity got the better of her.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what brought you two to this small town?"

"Actually, Wolfy doesn't live here with me. He's visiting me for a couple weeks. Our parents live closer to Central. I moved out here a while ago to begin living independently. This place is more than a little quiet compared to home, isn't it Wolfy?"

Wolfy had been paying close attention to the conversation, and thus he promptly nodded. He then made some motions to Lydia, and though Fionnuala could not understand what he was saying, it was clear to see that he was asking for something, and that he wanted it very much. "Of course you can play, Wolfy. Go and find some sheet music." Quickly, he nodded and walked to another room.

"He wants to play piano for you." Lydia said, turning to Fionnuala.

"F-for me?" She asked, a little surprised as she watched the boy's older sister rise and walk inside. Fionnuala quickly followed her to a corner of the room just inside, and took a seat in one of the chairs, just as Lydia had done.

"Yeah. He's barely played it since he got here. I've never seen him so focused on one person."

Fionnuala felt her head grow a little warm, partially in embarrassment. "Is that… so…?" How silly, she thought quickly. Why would a little boy suddenly have a crush on her? "Maybe he never gets a real audience."

Lydia sipped at her glass and glanced at the piano in the room. "Oh he has plenty of people to play for back home. It's very unusual for him to walk up to someone like he did earlier, and now he insists on playing once lunch is over. Our parents always make him practice at home, so he never does it on his own time." Lydia looked back at Fionnuala. "I bet he thinks you're pretty."

Fionnuala giggled before taking another sip of her drink. "That'll be a first."

Just then, Wolfgang reentered the room, and with an air of excitement, he sat down at the piano, and laid out some sheets of music. He then began to a play a cheery folk-inspired tune. Fionnuala rose in mild amazement, and walked over to watch him play more closely. He was extremely talented, that was clear. His fingers curved and floated over the keys, just as a professional's might. She understood what Lydia had meant by having an audience at home. Anyone would want to see such a talented youngster play.

But the piano also held special meaning for Nuala. It brought back memories: pleasant, warm memories.

Wolfy ended the tune with cute high note, and then he looked up at Fionnuala. "That was wonderful," she said with a smile. Wolfy smiled back, and then looking back to the keys, he made his fingers flutter over them, as though pretending to play, and then he pointed at her. "Do I play?" Nuala asked, hoping she understood his message. She had guessed correctly, for he nodded in reply. "Only a little; I haven't in a long time."

Wolfgang seemed content with this answer. He put the sheet from the previous piece he had played aside, and spread out another piece, a longer one, and commenced playing.

Fionnuala felt her heart skip a beat. It was sad in a certain way, but more importantly, she knew it. Images of her father at the piano, playing this very song, flashed in her head. At the same time, she began to recall the words.

_The thunderous storm obscures my sight_

_As I try to push through with all of my might._

_To where do all of the roads lead?_

_Do they reach out to places where_

_I ought to be?_

_Yes, yes, you lost soul._

_Find yourself in the swirling fog_

_Yes, yes, you lost soul._

_Go and seek out your distant goal._

Fionnuala felt her fists tighten as she sang the last line. There was something about that song. It filled her with nostalgia and regret; it hit close to home.

"You sing very well," Lydia said, pulling her mind back into consciousness.

Nuala shook her head slightly, as though she was ridding herself of the darkness that had been creeping near. "Thank you," she said, smiling, and then looked down at Wolfy at the piano. His eyes conveyed that he was mildly concerned.

"I was happy to sing to your music, Wolfy. Thank you." He then smiled. "Well, I ought to go. My friends will be wondering where I got to. Thank you very much for your hospitality." She said as she picked up her bag of apples, gave a quick bow, and headed for the door.

"It was a pleasure to have you. Come back and visit some time."

"Oh, definite—" Fionnuala's eyes went wide as she felt something prevent her from walking out; something tugging on her shirt. "…ly?" She looked back. There stood Wolfy, with a tight hold of the back hem of her top.

"Wolfy?" Lydia said, also a little baffled by his action.

Wolfy continued to stare right at Nuala. She found herself blushing at how awkward the moment was, but slowly she began to understand him. She turned to him, at which point he let go, and she gave him her sweetest smile. "You wanna come with me?" He nodded. "You can come, too, Lydia," she said, looking to her.

Lydia also nodded, and both followed her out the door and back to Bailey's home.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Fionnuala and her new friends, they were being observed from down the street. "Who's the kid she's with?" Said one of the two, a young adult male.

"No idea." Replied a woman, only a year or so older than the other.

"Have you even mentioned her to Keanan?"

"No, haven't yet. I was planning to later tonight, but now I'm not so sure if it's such a good idea."

"Ariana, Keanan _told _us to keep an eye out for anyone of relation to the group."

"Yeah, fine…"

The pair turned and continued to walk down the street, in the opposite direction that Fionnuala had been moving. Both were wearing headbands that came across their foreheads.


	9. Part IX Wishful Thinking

Part IX

Wishful Thinking

"I'm back!" Fionnuala's voice sounded throughout Mr. Bailey's house for all to hear.

Mr. Bailey was the first to greet them; apparently Edward and Alphonse were still at work downstairs. "Oh, welcome back." His gaze moved to the other two standing behind Nuala. "It seems we have company."

"This is Lydia, and her younger brother Wolfgang."

The three exchanged greetings as Fionnuala walked to the door that led to the basement. She peeked inside, feeling the lightest sensation of excitement in her stomachin a sheepish sort of way. The lights were on, and it was still quiet. "Edward! Alphonse!"

"What is it, Nuala?" It was Al's voice.

"I was thinking we should go out for an early dinner. And there's some people I want you to meet."

It took a minute for the brothers to come upstairs, and by then Fionnuala, Mr. Bailey, Lydia and Wolfy were waiting to leave.

As they were exiting the house, Fionnuala was introducing them. "These two are Edward and Alphonse Elric." Lydia greeted them, while Wolfy blankly stared at Alphonse, probably perplexed by his size. "And this is Lydia and her younger brother Wolfy."

"Oh yay. A new addition to the wacko names club," Edward muttered, diverted. The only reply he received was a sharp pain and finding himself on the ground, legs in the air.

Edward's taunting continued throughout the rest of the night, generally irritating Fionnuala. To her, it was an old game she wasn't in the mood for. At the table, they had only just opened their menus when he asked snidely, "So you going to order noodles, Noodleface?" It was probably the lamest taunt he could have made, which was probably for the best. If the remark had been hurtful, there were two adults who would have put an end to it.

Fionnuala amused herself with explanations of his behavior. If only it was something like him being jealous of Wolfy because she was paying more attention to him this evening. If only it was some it was some episode of a childish romantic drama. It wasn't at all that she wished Edward was in love with her. Heaven forbid, no! The thought simply justified his actions, and made the situation much more pleasant. Wishful thinking.

Fionnuala sighed with bored exasperation. "You're going to have to get more creative with your insults, Edward. You're fighting a losing battle."

Edward shrugged, leaned back casually and looked down at his menu. "Eh, perhaps." But then he looked up at her with narrowed eyes. "Or maybe I'm just censoring my language in the presence of your child friend here."

Fionnuala's eyes narrowed. She was going to get back at him for this one, and she would do it with flying colors. "Yeah, well, you know what? Your village called."

This retort was just as random as his first jest was weak. Edward blinked, confused.

"They want their idiot back—"

"WHY YOU LITTLE—"

"And they specified that he was loud, annoying, and _really _small."

A few days had passed since the threesome had arrived. Each day just seemed to fly by as the brothers did their researching, and Nuala would study as well, but she also spent a great deal of time with Wolfy. Sitting all curled up in a corner with a book made her back hurt after a while. How Edward and Alphonse could stand it for ten hours straight, she never really understood.

In the times that she wasn't filling her mind with formulas and equations, she went to Wolfy's, ate with them, ran errands with them, and went wherever Wolfy asked her to go. Every so often Lydia would assure her that this was rather odd behavior for him. From what Nuala had pieced together, he was generally detached, and this was caused by his busy lifestyle at home near Central. Apparently, there had been newspaper articles written about him in the Central Times; his career as a performer in the capital was to be launched very soon after his return from his vacation, and any spare moment he might have had was spent practicing. He didn't bother touching the piano when he had come to Lydia's house, she had said, not until he had played for Fionnuala. His reasons for becoming so attached to her had eluded all of them, and they weren't going to find out any time soon.

Fionnuala gladly accommodated his requests for her presence, in part because she pitied him. His soul purpose in life since he had sat down to play the piano or hold a pencil or a brush, was to accelerate into a professional career. That meant skipping all of the development that a child acquires in their late childhood and their teenage years, and that was something Fionnuala could only begin to fathom. She knew a little of what it was like, to some small degree. She had spent three years away from home. Three years away from what her life could have been at home. But she chose not to linger on such thoughts, and focus on being kind to Wolfy. If anyone needed some form of friendship, it was him.

Unfortunately, of any time for them to be forming a friendship, it had to be at a time when it could be used against her.

The town of Durham may have been small, making it a less suspicious place for a group of fugitives to make a hideout. Yet in an obscure alley, just inside of what was Durham's downtown, such a group had carved a little notch for themselves.

At the very end of the alley, leaning against the worn brick, was one who seemed the most distinguished. His hair was jet black, and the consistency of its color was interrupted only by a white headband, wrapped multiple times around his head. All around him were others in ages close to his, and while he was not the eldest, he had by far the most commanding presence. His eyes were keen and almost as dark as his hair, and if one came face to face with them, he might immediately feel that whatever he had to say was insignificant. What he did have in common with the others was the fashion of tying a headband so that it hid the brow.

"Keanan," said a young women whose face was that of the same girl that had spoken to Fionnuala in a hotel restaurant, but in this sketchy setting, it was far less cheerful. "Why even bother with her? It's such a waste of time."

Keanan, as he was known, turned his dark eyes briefly towards the woman. "If you know something better to do in this excuse for a town, let me know. My reason remains, she snitched on us and ran like a dog with her tail between her legs, and it's time the dog's owner give her a good beating before I leave her to rot on the streets. No one pulls that kind of crap on me and gets away with it."

A few of the others nodded in agreement. The woman crossed her arms and bit her lip, seeing that there was no persuading him.

The corner of Keanen's lip curled into a grin. "Are you losing your nerve, Ariana?" A couple of the others lightly snickered under their breath.

Ariana ignored them, and answered curtly. "Of course not. I just think that it's stupid for us to pick a fight with so small a person."

"Chill. I just want a little entertainment while we're here. We'll leave soon, I promise. Now, you say that she's always with some boy?"

Ariana felt something very sinister was brewing in Keanan's mind. Ordinarily, she would have been excited to hear his next great plot, but something deep down told her that this time, it wouldn't be so simple. But her loyalty to Keanan and the group was greater than the doubt, though it bothered her so. "Yeah, a harmless little thing. Follows her around like a baby."

"Have him here by tomorrow afternoon." He nodded towards Ariana and three others.

"Fionnuala!" She heard Mr. Bailey's voice call from the top of the stairs that led to the basement. She looked up from her book.

Remembering that her mother told her never to use "yeah" when speaking to an adult, she replied politely. "Yes?"

"There's a note addressed to you here."

Surprised, she set down the book, got up and walked to the bottom stair. "From whom?"

"Ariadne, it says."

Fionnuala made a face. "Weird. I don't know anyone named Ariadne." In any case, she walked up the stairs and accepted the note from Mr. Bailey.

"What's it say?" Alphonse asked as Fionnuala sat down, her eyes quickly looking over the tattered piece of paper over. She squinted at it, as though it might make more sense of it if she looked at it differently. Thinking maybe the brothers could help her, she read scribbled nonsense aloud.

The exceptionally lovely girl's pet dog is being held beneath a marked man's sharp blade.

"In English, please?" Edward requested.

"I wish I could, Ed."

"It's either a weird joke or… maybe it's some kind of code?" Suggested Alphonse.

Fionnuala bit her lip. If it was a joke, somebody had a very odd sense of humor. The implied violence and handwriting suggested that it was urgent. Whoever had written it did it in a hurry.

"Sounds like a prank to me." Edward added nonchalantly.

Nuala must have reread the note fifteen times by now, trying to break it down. What if it was important? No, why would she get a coded message? It seemed too fantastical, like it was out of some adventure novel. Stuff like that never _really _happened. Or did it?

"Maybe you have to rearrange the letters or…wait." She flipped the paper over. "Ariadne" she said out loud. An idea came to her. She flipped it over again, and examined each phrase, suddenly realizing the possibilities. "Marked" had seemed to refer to "The Marked" gang of her past. "Exceptionally lovely girl" "sharp blade" … "pet dog"

"Oh no." She said, feeling her stomach turn over.

"What is it?" Alphonse asked worriedly.

"Please God, no."

"_What?_" Edward demanded. Fionnuala scrambled to get up and rushed up the stairs, skipping every other step in her hurry, and ran out the door and into the street. She could hear her heart beating in her ears, and her breath coming in panicked gasps.

She had sprinted all the way to Wolfy's house, and standing on the porch with a troubled face was Lydia. "Lydia!" Too frightened to stop to catch her breath, she shouted. "Where's Wolfy?"

"I wish I knew," she replied with a distressed tone. "He disappeared a little while ago, and I went looking for him. But he isn't in any of the usual places. I'm extremely worried."

Fionnuala started running again. "Wait! Where are you going?" Lydia cried, but she received no answer. Nuala felt helpless. She had no idea where to look. He could be anywhere, if she had interpreted the note correctly. She stood at the corner of the market, trying to decide what to do next. But she wouldn't have to.

Nuala suddenly felt a hand snatch her wrist and jerk her to the side. She found herself on the ground in a merchant's booth, currently not in service, and standing above her was Ariana. "Hoped you come this way. Come on. We have to move before the others come looking for you."


End file.
